LCC puts lorry safety at the top of the mayor's Cycle Safety Action Plan

photo D1v1d-flickrLCC has succeeded in putting lorry safety at the top of the London cycle-safety agenda

The Mayor of London is backing LCC's call for cycle safety training for HGV drivers.

Boris Johnson’s new Cycle Safety Action Plan says Transport for London will work with the Department for Transport to make awareness-training obligatory for lorry drivers.

The Action Plan recognises the danger posed by lorries to cyclists in London, saying that collisions with lorries accounted for more than half the cyclist deaths in 2007. It also supports LCC’s suggestion of developing lorries with good all-round visibility for urban use.

Training and mirrors put on the agenda by LCCLCC’s lorry expert Charlie Lloyd said, “Reducing road danger from lorries is vital for all road users and training for drivers can play a key role in this, along with making all lorries carry a full set of safety mirrors.”

The Action Plan highlights Lambeth Council’s cycle-awareness training for its lorry drivers, during which they get to see the road from a cyclist’s perspective.

The council also runs an 'exchanging places' programme for cyclists who get the opportunity to see the view from the cab of a lorry.

Casualty rates are now more significantLCC welcomes the recognition in the Action Plan that rates of cycling casualties (per mile cycled) are more significant than absolute numbers, and LCC believes that road danger must be reduced to ensure a fall in these rates.

LCC contributed to the work of the Cycle Safety Working Group in identifying key issues to be addressed in the Action Plan, notably in the area of HGV danger.

The group’s role in overseeing the Action Plan is welcomed, and LCC believes that for the Action Plan to be effective it needs to be closely monitored and a timetable set for the interventions it proposes.